Iraqi Government Claims Foreign Forces Violating its Airspace

A Kurdish man (R) inspects a weapon at an arms market in Arbil, capital of the autonomous Kurdish region of northern IraqReuters

The Iraqi government has claimed that foreign forces have breached the country's airspace and compromised its sovereignty by delivering weapons to Kurdish soldiers to help them fight Islamic State militants.

Without mentioning any country, Iraq said unauthorised military aircraft have been using its airspace by capitalising on the ongoing political turmoil.

"We have noticed that in recent days foreign fighter jets have breached Iraq's airspace and delivered arms to a certain faction inside Iraq without Baghdad's permission. The Iraqi government did not give permission for any military plane to violate the Iraqi space," said the office of the Commanding General of the Iraqi armed forces.

The statement mentions "northern Iraq" in a clear reference to the Kurdistan region.

The US has been conducting airstrikes against the Sunni insurgents in an attempt to stop their rapid advances in the northern parts of Iraq.

"We welcome international support for Iraq in its war against terrorism. But Iraq's territorial sovereignty must be respected," the Iraqi statement added.

The US airstrikes have helped Kurdish Peshmerga forces to launch a ground offensive against the militants in a bid to retake the strategic Mosul dam.

Washington has also decided to supply arms to the Kurdish forces.

The Kurdish fighters are said to be on the verge of taking full control of the dam, which was seized by the IS insurgents on 7 August.

A security source told IraqiNews.com on condition of anonymity: "Peshmerga forces seized control of the entire Mosul dam... [But] the elements of ISIL are currently inside the residential compound of Mosul dam."

The militants are also said to have planted mines and booby traps, which are being removed by the Kurdish security forces.